WASHINGTON — NASA astronaut Joe Acaba will host a two-hour special radio broadcast on the Internet radio station Third Rock Radio while aboard the International Space Station, 240 miles above Earth. “The Joe Show: New Rock from Space” will debut at 4 p.m. EDT, Friday, Aug. 3.

Acaba, a fan of classic rock, will discuss his experiences aboard the orbiting laboratory while presenting new rock to listeners around the world. The Joe Show is a blend of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and art. It highlights the latest technology, all within the context of “exploring new worlds of music.”

“I’m excited to be the first astronaut to DJ from space on Third Rock Radio,” Acaba said. “From the recordings launched aboard the Voyager spacecraft to the wakeup songs on shuttle missions, NASA and music have a long history together. As a former educator, I also appreciate the strong links between music and math, one of the core STEM components that is so critical to my work as an astronaut.”

Third Rock Radio is produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC Media of Houston. It was created to help cultivate new interest in STEM among hard-to-reach young Americans.

Third Rock Radio can be streamed for free from the NASA homepage at http://www.nasa.gov and via the TuneIn mobile app, which is available for smart phones and tablet computers through both the Google Play and iTunes app stores.

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